Department of State

noun phrase

: the part of the U.S. government that is responsible for how the U.S. deals with other countries

Examples of Department of State in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Courtesy of subject As of 2025, about 306,000 international students were working toward their master’s degrees and 153,000 toward their doctorate degrees, according to the latest available data from Open Doors, an information resource sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. —Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 24 May 2026

One is Sta Elena Investments LLC and the other is Remas Investments LLC, according to Florida’s Department of State website. —Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 22 May 2026

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of State issued a worldwide caution and health alert concerning the outbreak. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 May 2026

In the last five years, there have been 976 West Nile cases, including both West Nile fever and West Nile neuroinvasive disease, according to a statement from the Texas Department of State Health Services. —Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026

Rhymes for Department of State

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• deteriorate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• excommunicate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate

Legal Definition

Department of State

Agency

federal executive division responsible for carrying out U.S. foreign policy. It is the president's principal means of conducting treaty negotiations and effecting agreements with foreign nations. Under its control are the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, seven bureaus of political affairs, the U.S. Foreign Service (including 270 embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions, and numerous subagencies), and various offices of diplomatic security, foreign intelligence, policy analysis, international narcotics control, protocol, and passport and medical services. The department's legal adviser advises the secretary of state on all matters of international law arising in the conduct of foreign relations.